The Old Wine Shades By Martha Grime

<p><B>THE OLD WINE SHADES.</B> By Martha Grimes. Viking. 341 pages. $25.95.</p><p></p><p>In the 20th book of her popular series featuring Inspector Richard Jury, Martha Grimes stumbles where once she was surefooted.</p><p>Vintage Grimes touches abound on the surface of this mystery that begins with the Old English sheepdog of all shaggy dog stories. Moody atmospherics, silent children in danger, anthropomorphic animals and the usual cast of characters are woven in and out of a hall-of-mirrors disappearance tale.</p><p>Unfortunately, Grimes appears to be just going through the motions this time around. The ensemble cast, usually a strong supporting element, gets cursory treatment. Stream-of-consciousness monologues, quantum physics and a plot requiring a truly remarkable willingness to suspend disbelief are poor substitutes. Overall, the book has a flat, transitional feel, as though Grimes is bored with these characters, or uncertain as to where to take them next.</p><p>But even at less than her best, a Grimes mystery is better than much of what's out there, and this one is reasonably entertaining.</p><p>Clues are laid as to possible new directions, and fans of the series can't afford to skip this volume. Those not already acquainted with her work should go back to the beginning and read "Man With a Load of Mischief" instead.</p>Source:http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=84183& section=books